2026 Seoul Lantern Festival: A Fantastic Light Extravaganza in the Heart of the City

Seoul Lantern Festival — Scheduled for December 2026, Records and Viewing Information from the Last Festival

The Seoul Lantern Festival, which illuminated downtown Seoul from December 2025 to January 2026, was a feast of light held along Cheonggyecheon and Ui-cheon under the theme of 'My Light, Our Dream, Seoul's Magic.' Diverse light installations combining traditional Hanji lanterns and media art beautifully adorned Seoul's winter nights. According to the Seoul City Festival Portal, the next festival is scheduled to take place in December 2026 along Cheonggyecheon. As of September 29, 2026, the exact opening and closing dates have not been announced. This page compiles news about the upcoming festival and records from the last festival (December 2025 - January 2026).

Next Festival — Scheduled for December 2026

The Seoul City Festival Portal only lists the 2026 festival as 'scheduled for December.' While some blogs suggest an opening in November, this has not been officially confirmed, so it is not included here. Given that the last festival's December opening schedule was announced via news reports in late November, it is highly likely that the dates will be announced in the fall. This table will be updated first when the dates are released.

Last Festival at a Glance (December 2025 ~ January 2026)

Overview of the Last Festival

The Seoul Lantern Festival, held from December 12, 2025, to January 18, 2026, was one of Seoul's representative winter festivals, showcasing spectacular light installations primarily along Cheonggyecheon and Ui-cheon. In particular, the Cheonggyecheon section was composed of four themes: "Miracle Seoul," "Golden Secret," "Dream Light," and "Seoul Fantasia," expressing Seoul's past, present, and future through light. In the Ui-cheon section, the "Royal Procession" artwork, which was most popular at the 2024 festival, was exhibited again, attracting many visitors.

The festival was originally scheduled to run until January 4, 2026, but the approximately 1.1km section from Cheonggye Plaza to Samil Bridge along Cheonggyecheon was extended for two weeks until January 18. Operating hours were also extended by one hour, from 10 PM to 11 PM, allowing more citizens to enjoy the festival. January 5, 2026, was closed for exhibition rearrangement and reopening.

Major Exhibition Artworks and Themes

The last Seoul Lantern Festival showcased various light installations and media art under the theme of 'My Light, Our Dream, Seoul's Magic.' The major exhibition artworks were as follows:

• Cheonggyecheon Section Themes:
  • Miracle Seoul: Expressed Seoul's past, present, and future through light, recreating historical moments related to light, such as the first lighting of Gyeongbokgung Palace, daily life during the era when electricity, the power source of light, was introduced, and the wisdom of ancestors to illuminate the darkness. "Eight Horses" (Palma) celebrated the Year of the Red Horse in 2026 with eight horse sculptures made of Hanji lanterns and LED lights, while "Light of Cheonggye: The Future of Cheonggyecheon," commemorating the 20th anniversary of Cheonggyecheon's restoration, depicted the future of Cheonggyecheon as imagined by AI using LEDs.
  • Golden Secret: A theme embodying secret dreams, offering visitors an experience of finding their inner light.
  • Dream Light: A theme centered on our 'dreams' living in the contemporary era, featuring collaborative works with Pokémon Korea such as "I Love Magikarp" (ended January 4), the fire-breathing peacock "Wings of Dream" (ended January 4), and the moon jar "Phantom Moon" made of discarded headlights (ended January 4). "Story of the Polar Bear," conveying a message about climate change, was also presented.
  • Seoul Fantasia: A theme stimulating childlike wonder, featuring Seoul's representative character Haechi and various character sculptures, as well as sculptures embodying overseas architectural landmarks.
• Ui-cheon Section Theme:
  • Soul Light: The "Royal Procession" artwork, most popular at the 2024 Seoul Lantern Festival, was exhibited again, recreating a Joseon Dynasty royal procession with traditional Hanji lanterns.

Participatory Programs and Side Events

Various participatory programs and side events were held during the festival, providing abundant enjoyment for visitors.

• Experiential Programs: On Jangtong Bridge, experiential programs such as "Magikarp Shop" and "Wish with Magikarp" were operated every weekend. In addition, various traditional lantern-making experiences were offered.
• Gwanghwamun Market: In conjunction with the festival, a Christmas market with a 'Winter Wonderland Santa Village' theme, inspired by European charm, was operated in Gwanghwamun Square from December 12 to 31, 2025. Christmas season items, handicrafts, and food were sold in three themed spaces: Santa Village Entrance, Santa Village Play Square, and Santa Village Market Village, and brand experience zones by global partners such as Disney Korea were also operated.
• Media Art Production: Under Samil Bridge, a complex media art combining laser, fog, and sound was presented through the "Aurora of Light" production.

Visitor Facilities and Transportation Information

Public transportation was recommended for smooth festival viewing. The information below is based on the last festival, and traffic conditions in the Cheonggyecheon area are similar each year.

• Transportation:
  • Subway: For Cheonggyecheon (Cheonggye Plaza), it is convenient to use Exit 4 of City Hall Station (Lines 1/2, 325m walk) or Exit 5 (145m walk) or Exit 9 (approx. 3-5 min walk) of Gwanghwamun Station (Line 5). For Ui-cheon, public transportation is recommended.
  • Parking: Public parking lots around Cheonggyecheon are paid and often crowded. Ui-cheon has even more limited parking space, so public transportation should be used whenever possible.
  • Bicycles: Bicycles are prohibited on the Cheonggyecheon promenade. They must be parked at nearby racks, and visitors must enter on foot. Ui-cheon has a bicycle path, allowing bicycle accompaniment.
• Convenience Facilities:
  • Nursing Room: Operated at the Cheonggye Plaza Information Center from 5 PM to 11 PM.
  • Restrooms: Located near Cheonggye Plaza, Gwangtong Bridge, Supyo Bridge, and Ogansu Bridge.
  • Pet Accompaniment: Pets were not allowed in the Cheonggyecheon section, but it was possible to bring them in strollers or carried. In the Ui-cheon section, pet accompaniment was allowed if pet etiquette, such as leash use and waste disposal, was observed.

Nearby Linked Tourist Information

Along with the Seoul Lantern Festival, you can enrich your experience by visiting various attractions in Seoul.

• Gwanghwamun Square: The 'Gwanghwamun Market' was held during the festival, offering a variety of sights and entertainment.
• Media Facade: You can also enjoy media facade events that brilliantly adorn Seoul's night. These include Seoul Light DDP 2026 in autumn (September 3 ~ September 13, 2026) and Seoul Light Gwanghwamun (December 11, 2026 ~ January 3, 2027).
• Autumn Festivals: During the autumn season, you can enjoy various festivals such as the Autumn Flower Festival in September 2026 by referring to the Autumn Festival Calendar. Especially, checking information on the Autumn Festival Culture Nuri Card in September 2026 or Local Currency Discounts for Autumn Festivals can make your trip more economical.
• Other Attractions: You can plan a course to enjoy the charm of Seoul by linking it with Myeongdong shopping, Gwangjang Market, DDP night view, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Insadong, and Namsan N Seoul Tower.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: When is the next Lantern Festival?

A1: According to the Seoul City Festival Portal, it is scheduled to be held in December 2026 along Cheonggyecheon. As of September 29, 2026, the exact dates have not been announced.

Q2: What was the admission fee for the last festival?

A2: The last Seoul Lantern Festival was free to attend. However, some experiential programs incurred separate fees.

Q3: Could I attend the festival with my pet?

A3: Pet accompaniment was not allowed in the Cheonggyecheon section. It was possible to bring them in strollers or carried. In the Ui-cheon section, pet accompaniment was allowed if pet etiquette, such as leash use and waste disposal, was observed.

Q4: Where was the best place to park when attending the festival?

A4: During the festival, public parking lots around Cheonggyecheon were crowded and paid. Ui-cheon had even more limited parking space, so public transportation was recommended for festival attendance.

Sources

• Seoul City Festival Portal FUN SEOUL — 2026 Seoul Lantern Festival
• Seoul City Media Hub — Seoul Lantern Festival has begun
• Seoul Shinmun — Seoul Lantern Festival opens on the 12th, also in Ui-cheon (November 26, 2025)

Last checked: 2026-09-29